The Lace Ladder

A giant running shoe was parked by the baseboard like an armored team transport! Thick braided laces crisscrossed up the canvas tongue in a neat ladder. Perfect elevated vantage! Ball clamped rock-solid under my right ribs. Left hand out to signal the ascent: down, set, hike! I set my black cleats firmly on the ribbed rubber toe cap and reached up with my glove. Taut cord, zero slack. I scaled the woven rungs one by one until my boots settled square on the double knot at the top collar. High-ground view secured. The whole corridor fairway mapped out clean!